Large hole investigated behind Pine Hills home, fire officials say

CHANCES. GOOD EVENING. IT'S A STORY WE FIRST BROKE ON CLICK ORLANDO.COM. HOLE OPENED UP RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOME ON LAKE HORSESHOE DRIVE OFF POWERS IN PINE HILLS. WE ARE LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW YOU JUST GOT NEW INFO, WHAT IS IT? Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT. WE JUST TALKED TO THE A LIEUTENANT FROM ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AND THEY ARE TELLING 93 THIS IS NOT A SINK HOLE. IT'S CALLED A GROUND DECOMPLETION WHICH IS MORE COMMON BUT YOU CAN SEE THE HOUSE IS STILL WRAPPED WITH YELLOW TAPE AROUND IT. THEY SAY THE HOLE IS 8 FEET WIDE AND NINE FEET DEEP AND JUST BEYOND THAT FENCE. WE ARE TOLD IT SWALLOWED AUTOPSY SWING SET IN THE BACK YARD. HERE'S A BEING WILL AT CLOSE-UP PICTURES OF THAT HOLE. YOU CAN SEE IT IS RIGHT ALONG THE EDGE OF THE SIDEWALK IN THE BACK OF THE HOME. FIREFIGHTERS HAD AN ENGINEER LOOK AT THE HOLE IN THE PAST HOUR AND THEY SAY IT'S NOT A SINK HOLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT DEEP ENOUGH TO REACH THE WATER TABLE. BUT INSPECTORS HAVE DEEMED IT UNSAFE. SOUGHT COUPLE THAT LIVES HERE HAS BEEN TOLD TO EVACUATE THEIR HOME. THE HOLE HAS SPREAD 2 INCHES SINCE THEY HAVE ARRIVED BUT AT THIS POINT NO OTHER HOMES ARE IN DANGER AND ARE NOT BEING EVACUATED. HERE'S WHAT A NEIGHBOR WE SPOKE TO HAD TO SAY. BECAUSE ABOUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MOTHER NATURE DOES AND HOW IT MIGHT REACT. SO JUST WAITING FOR THE MOMENT SITUATION. Reporter: NOW THE COUPLE WHO LIVES HERE HAVE BEEN PACKING UP THEIR BELONGINGS WITH THE HELP OF FIREFIGHTERS.SO FAR WE ARE TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT BE STAYING AT THE HOME TONIGHT. BACK OUT HERE LIVE. THEY ACTUALLY STILL HERE. THEY HAVEN'T LEFT THE HOME. WE HAVE BEEN ASKING IF THEY WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE SITUATION AND THEY SAY SO FAR THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. FIREFIGHTERS TELL US THAT THEY HOPE TO ACTUALLY FILL THE HOLE WITH CEMENT SOME TIME TOMORROW. BACK TO YOU.

PINE HILLS, Fla. -

Orange County sheriff's deputies said the possible sinkhole that opened up behind a home in Pine Hills is a ground depression.

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The sinkhole investigation was reported just before 3 p.m. at the home, which has been evacuated.

Fire Rescue said cracks were showing in the home but has not grown, therefore nearby houses were not evacuated. The sinkhole is located 3 feet from underneath the house and swallowed up a swing set in the backyard.

A geo-technical engineer will confirm if it is an actual sinkhole, but building inspectors have deemed the home unsafe.

A lieutenant with OCSO later said the hole is called a "ground depression" and is not a sinkhole because it it not deep enough to be classified as one.

The family will be removed from the home for at least a couple of days, deputies said.

Check back for more on this story.

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